Durham Cathedral: Modelling Finished!!

Trust me there is a LOT of detail behind those shadows!

After what feels like 6 life times (in truth less than 1 1/2 weeks) I'm finally calling the modelling stage of the Durham Cathedral complex for my FXPHD class MOD302 done. I feel like I know this cathedral better than the people who bloody built it afer starring at it for a week and a half lol 18 hrs a day.

So many areas are detailed I can't get them all into a single still

Now this was not just a modelling 'challenge' for me (it being without doubt the most complex model I've ever done...especaily if you count the interior I did last year for MOD302), but also a software one. in the end I had to use 3d max 2012 for this for one simple reason...it was the only software with any chance of being able to have the ammount of polygons in the viewport at the sametime without crashing like a bitch all over the place.

Its gives me migraine just thinking about ever doing this again LOL

We're talking tens of thousands of seperate parts and a polycount that technically should 'break' 3d max, its viewport ....as 3d max has a theoretical poly limit of 10 million for a single scene (without proxies etc). This model breaks that by a fair old bit. In fact its between 12-15 million..with no instances or proxies used. There is detail thats not visible even in a 1080p frame lol. (in fact even trhe sanctuary knocker is modelled even though it takes up about 3 pixels.) So every part of the cathedral complex is capable of supporting a close up.

Now I MUST give props to Neil Hazzard and the nitrous team who handle the 3d max viewport progamming. Any other app would have not only crashed but certainly not have such a nice viewport as respresentative of the final render. In fact below at the bottom is the viewport grab of the scene to compare with the 1st image in this post. Not bloody far away I think you'll agree!

The model will stand up to a close up on any tiny part of the entire complex.

So lets remember that when 3d tech works well...god damn its impressive...and this does. So hats off to Neil and his crew. (I promise to buy him several drinks next time I see him.)


But....

Now comes the hard part...texturing the entire cathedral complex ,setting shaders up and getting it ready to create the entire 3d scene it will go in. But 1st I'm taking a damn day off as a week and a half 18 hours a day working on this has me on the verge of running round with an axe.

insane polycount in the viewport of 3d max....

'Cathedral' ::: Interior Establishing Shot mock up

A very rough mock up using a still of the 1st interior establishing shot. with roto as rough as a donkeys arse. Final will be full animated,tracked & cleaned up. There will be about 15-18 shots in all in my version of this.

Now, see if you can spot the hidden 3d max teapot ;)

Cathedral:: Done

A small selection of the 15-18 shots I've been working on for this.

Thats it....

...all classes for FXPHD class MOD301 recorded and uploaded

... ready for rendering out, compositing, adding tracking data and color grading.



Its the most fun I've had in ages and the course has covered 3Dmax, Maya, Mudbox, Zbrush, Mental ray, renderman, enviroment modelling and sculpting, organic modelling (for another shot) and sculpting, texturing, lighting, shader set up, render setup, some tips and tricks and a shit load else.

The references were a lot of spy photos I took like James fucking Bond (as photography is not allowed at all in Durham Cathedral) and a shit load of on site pencil drawings I did. The only parts not put into this from Durham were the 9 altars area and the back altar screen 's lol). One day I may tell about a major event that went on in my life while I was making this that I've not mentioned...that is on top of my dad's emergancy triple bypass.

Which I dont think is too shabby for 10 x 45min weekly course videos. The final animation will look diffferent to this once the proper post and tracking data and live action elements are added. But its a good guide. So now for the 1st time in 6 months I have not a thing on....so after a few days rest its back to hunting down some more freelance gigs.

Its been a pleasure to work on this course with Mike , John and the guys at FXPHD and hopefully the end result comes across with some of the enjoyment I've had doing it. Its also been nice to show I can do more than just monsters and hideous creatures.

Cathedral opening shot 99.9% final

Well for the establishing shot this is almost done (barring adding the pulpit and swapping out the other column designs that I forgot to do for the renders last night I noticed today). There's about 10 million poluygons in the viewport for this shot, which is one of about 6-8 I'll be doing (although probably only 1 or two will be used next term for fxphd courses on tracking etc...). The rest are for my reel. The polycount on absolute final version will double with the use or proxys, although to eb fair those wont all be visisble in any one single shot.

So where the wireframe wayne boy I hear you shout? So here it is, the wireframe from hell.... Enjoy

"nah son, thats not a wierframe....THIS is a wireframe" lol

Cathedral model and renders copywrite FXPHD

The end is close

Work in progress style guide (missing a few models and textures)

I'm putting the finishing touches to week 8's lesson for my fxphd class, but like all good tutors obviously I'm a bit further forward than that. The above is a quick render using only the normal map versions for Mike as a rough style guide for approval on the lighting and overall 'look'. Its often hard for non 3d types to 'see'in advance what you mean, especially when there are only minimal guides as to what is needed. So I produced 6 stills from the opening shot along with 2 video version of the complete shot (faked using just some not so clever camera transforms in after fx, quick, dirty and perfec tfor approvals). One video version (which I'm sorry i can't show yet) is half speed as I thought it mad the shot more emotional. Although this is technically steppping on Mikes toes a wee bit, I think he realised a while back I spit ideas out like a canon and he's free to dump any he dislikes, or all of them. Mikes a real pro and a very nice guy and understand I dont take any crits in a work enviroment to heart and storm off crying in my coffee.

The style was approved inside of an hour,so I'msafe to continue in this vein, although the half speed is still open to debate.

This of course is where the 'magic' of our creativity comes in along with always knowing what an assset will look like before you hit render. In a similar way that i alwasy know what effect a brush will give while sculpting. So I'm hoping to have the class version ready and final in 3dmx pretty soonish (this week) before staring on the entire maya /Renderman version. This of course assumes that I dont manage to screw up renderman as the scene is currently very heavy (10 million polys in the viewport) and funnily enough apps dont usualy like that sort of thing. The use of poxies wont save alot as things need to be lined up so precisly that I find the only reliable way is by eye. (Lining up by eye gets a bum rap sometimes but I find it often just as accurate , as welll as more versatile than other methods. Plus it also helps to add a nice human element to the art.)

The tombs are missing for the shot above, is the altar screen and the gargoyles (Those I probably will use as proxys before I blow up 3d max and maya with over work as those will double the polys in the viewport just about). Also a few bits at the back dont have their textures yet as the sharp eyed will have noticed...why? because I couldn't be arsed to redo those bits after being on at it for a few hours.

So its hopefuly got a quite stylistic almost old style matte painting look to it. Bright lighting while it would make the cathedral look nicee, would also not fit the shot or its content too well. As I've said many times, ad no doubt will many more. Its not about making our models looks as nice as possible, its about fitting the shot. There is no 'I' in team, but there is however a 'stop being an egotistical bastard only concerned with there own work' in it lol.

Anyways, I'm of to try and forget that I'm waiting like a kid at xmas for my rails set up (matte box arrrived on saturday) to arrive for my DSLR rig upgrade. Wife is starting to get a wee bit sick of a house full of camera equipment, chroma key rigs , massive reflectors and car camera rigs (which is ironic as I dont drive lol) and a shit load of other things. Just do me a favour and dont mentin tripods as they have taken over every cupboard and shelf.

Even more cathedral WIP

Before

'After' (hint: the person is real)

Copywrite FXPHD All rights reserved

No I have not finished the cathedral yet before you ask. Mainly as due to finishing the videos before the break on the FXPHD course I'm giving on advanced environment modelling early I had 2 weeks off before I needed to do the next one. Plus as the last session was a gargoyle that was a winged lion (and I've already done enough lions this year) I skipped posting that one.

So the next 3 weeks I have to texture every item in the cathedral model at least 3 times, so I have different texture sets I can swap out for different elements (trust me this does save time later !) I then have to set the final shaders lighting and render up in 3d max using Metal Ray and then do the whole materials, lights and final render setup in Maya using Renderman. So it'll be a busy 3 weeks for me. At the momnt this is a test using only normal maps although final renderman versin will be packed to the gills with displacement

But that won't be the end of the cathedral once the course finishes as I'll keep going right up till the hand over deadline improving it as I go. What you see above is some of the elements textured so far using 1 of the 3 textures sets I'm on creating. Shaders are stand-ins.

For shits and giggles I set up the render as if it was a real practical set on a chroma rig....yes I do have a weird sense of humour, but as the kids have just went back to school from their 7 bloody week holiday I'm probably not the only parent a bit odd at the moment lol. I also comped in the character from the series of shots its from

I have a feeling the final animation with the chroma footage may turn out pretty ok. Uv mapping every damn element in the cathedral has not been fun....and if I ever see UV mapping again for a week it'll be too soon.

Also for those interested:


I'm offloading some more camera gear on ebay that I don't need for those interested:

Manfrotto modosteady http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330610960634?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

canon 100-300mm lens EF 4.5-5.6 lens: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330610961867?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Konig tripod head: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330610962900?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

WIP: Cathedral Interior again

Very short post just to upload the latest updates of the Durham cathedral interior I'm using to teach peolpe advanced enviroment modelling for the course I'm giving for FXPHD. It's the 1st time I've had all the separate models in the scene. ...and no still nothing sculpted yet as I want it looking fine without it so that the sculpting is the icing on the cake. Before much longer I have the gargoyles and the textures and final lighting to do. (as this lighting is just a very rough stand in.)

Here's a couple of alternate shots..... although 80% of the detail isn't visible at this resolution to be honest.

WIP Durham Cathedral Interior

Modelling nearly done for nave, both wings and the modified altar area (as required by Mike Seymour who is art director for this), few more bits and pieces then its onto uv mapping, texturing and sculpting this. A very short blog entry today as my dad is in hospital for an emergancy heart operation so funnily enough blog posts aren't top of my adgenda today.

Durham Cathedral Interior : 'WIP 'Alternate version.

Here's a quick update to the Durham cathedral interior model that I'm covering the creation of for the FXPHD advanced interior modelling class I'm giving. This is the low res 'B' version that I'm working on in tandem. The idea behind a alternate version is that I am a bit freer to tweak things for the shot if need be.

This is the Nave only and accounts for only about 1/4 of the final model and the 'low res' is currently at 1.7 million in my 'B' version shown here. (There will also be a far higher res 'C' version if I can get it all to render lol.) This is all pre sculpting and lights at the moment are a simple stand in. Remember folks this is a work in progress (i.e. unfinished) and subject to some rather dramatic changes.


Also I have just stuck my PROSKAR anamorphic lens, complete with clamps and doipters up on ebay as I don't have a dslr at this time. This lens is a great example of the PROSKAR anamorphic lens and if your into dslr filming I strongly recommend looking at it (although I would say that woudn't I? lol). It also means you'll be able to get nearly a 4k wide image out of you DSLR ;)
It breaks my heart to have to sell it.

EBAY LINK